Place the drained black-eyed peas in a saucepan with the ham hock broth or water, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until tender, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Toward the end of the cooking time, taste the peas and season with salt. Drain and set aside.

In a skillet, cook the bacon over medium-high heat until all the fat is rendered. Transfer the bacon to a large mixing bowl and add the crabmeat, vegetables, peas, and herbs. Mix together until thoroughly combined.

Combine the salad with the vinaigrette. Mound the tossed salad on a large serving platter, leaving at least 5 cm around the edge of the platter. Arrange the grapefruit sections around the salad, and garnish the grapefruit sections with the cilantro springs.

[Formatted to MasterCook by Terri Law on 0. 378787878787.88.

Chef's Notes: Chef Stephan Pyles of Star Canyon tells us that "This easy, do-ahead salad is a perfect entree for a summer lunch or picnic. Black-eyed peas, crab, and grapefruit may not exactly be an orthodox combination, but they are all staples of Texas cookery and go well together."